Gesundheit
Post-achoo courtesy
Gesundheit is what you say when someone sneezes—a German word meaning "health," borrowed into English as a secular alternative to "God bless you." The word functions as a mild well-wishing: Gesundheit! Are you coming down with something?
Response to a sneeze
- sneezeExplosive nasal reflex
- responseAnswer to stimulus
- politenessCourteous, respectful conduct
- courtesyRespectful, considerate behavior
well-wishing · etiquette · achoo · interjection · custom · social grace · manners · reflex
Overall state of health
- well-beingState of health, contentment
- vitalityCapacity for spirited existence
- fitnessGood physical shape
- vigorActive physical strength
robustness · wholeness · salubriousness · constitution · heartiness · healthfulness · stamina · strength
Central European language
- YiddishAshkenazi Jewish language
- loanwordImported vocabulary item
- borrowed wordTerm adopted from another language
- EuropeanFrom that continent
immigration · diaspora · multilingual · Old World · Americanization · ethnic heritage · assimilation · vernacular
bless you
Response to a sneeze
- sneezeExplosive nasal reflex
- responseAnswer to stimulus
- politenessCourteous, respectful conduct
courtesy · well-wishing · etiquette · achoo · interjection · custom · social grace · manners · reflex · acknowledgment
wellness
Overall state of health
- well-beingState of health, contentment
- vitalityCapacity for spirited existence
- fitnessGood physical shape
vigor · robustness · wholeness · salubriousness · constitution · heartiness · healthfulness · stamina · strength · condition
German
Central European language
- YiddishAshkenazi Jewish language
- loanwordImported vocabulary item
- borrowed wordTerm adopted from another language
European · immigration · diaspora · multilingual · Old World · Americanization · ethnic heritage · assimilation · vernacular · colloquial
Gesundheitcurse
Invoked harm through words
damn you · hex · evil eye · malediction · go to hell
Gesundheitsickness
Bodily disorder or disease
illness · disease · malady · poor health · ill health
sound, sounding, soundness, unsound, soundly, healthy, health, healthful, unhealthy